Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,800 a month against $4,929 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Rafael, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

238

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,929

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Rafael, CA and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Rafael, CA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,929 in San Rafael, CA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

San Rafael, CA $4,929
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,391 in San Rafael, CA versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

San Rafael, CA $6,391
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,853 in San Rafael, CA versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

San Rafael, CA $7,853
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in San Rafael, CA is roughly 30% more expensive than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Rafael, CA 265% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$25.32 $25.32

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$101 $101

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$14.85 $14.85

-18.86%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$6.59 $6.59

-28.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.22 $3.22

-5.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.14 $3.14

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$8.18 $8.18

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.03 $8.03

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.21 $1.21

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.12 $5.12

-11.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$6.30 $6.30

53.81%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$4.90 $4.90

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.21 $23.21

$19.10 $19.10

21.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$18.50 $18.50

-16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$23.03 $23.03

-21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$5.81 $5.81

31.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.95 $1.95

50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.29 $5.29

18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$6.48 $6.48

32.41%

Potato (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.57 $3.57

64.99%

Onion (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$3.15 $3.15

72.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.85 $2.85

7.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.42 $2.42

60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$12.75 $12.75

-14.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 $12.96

$14.99 $14.99

-13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.17 $4.17

-46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$5.99 $5.99

-50.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.04 $3.04

-32.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$110 $110

-40.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.55 $2.55

60.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.64 $1.64

170.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 $28.84

$29.58 $29.58

-2.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.42 $1.42

1.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.0K $32.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

-10.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

3.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$253 $253

$299 $299

-15.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$85.4 $85.4

$70.8 $70.8

20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$88.3 $88.3

-30.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 $124

$79.5 $79.5

55.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.21 $30.21

$35.37 $35.37

-14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$17.12 $17.12

-23.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,088 $2,088

$3,013 $3,013

-30.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.6K $31.6K

-20.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$77.2 $77.2

-22.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 $42.92

$55.1 $55.1

-22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 $96.8

$126 $126

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$163 $163

-22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 $3,074

$2,464 $2,464

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 $3,202

$1,956 $1,956

63.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,278 $4,278

$4,711 $4,711

-9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 $3,860

$3,550 $3,550

8.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,456 $7,456

$7,346 $7,346

1.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,281 $5,281

$5,048 $5,048

4.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,077 $7,077

$6,286 $6,286

12.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.85

-3.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

San Rafael, CA

$3.2K 65%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 38.9% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

San Rafael, CA

$575 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 5.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Rafael, CA

$400 8.1%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 14.5% $58

Eating Out

San Rafael, CA

$355 7.2%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 15% $53

Sport & Entertainment

San Rafael, CA

$150 3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 24.2% $36

Clothing & Footwear

San Rafael, CA

$147 3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 29.1% $43

Getting Around

San Rafael, CA

$100 2%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 32.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,074 in San Rafael, CA and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $120 in San Rafael, CA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $575 vs $542 per month, with Seattle, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

12:54 12:54 PM

Same time as San Rafael, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,704

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

San Rafael, CA Seattle, WA 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Rafael, CA
Seattle, WA

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

San Rafael, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in San Rafael, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seattle, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 13% higher in San Rafael, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,074 in San Rafael, CA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,929 per month in San Rafael, CA versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 68% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Seattle, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,800 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seattle, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Rafael, CA and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.